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(No Mml) E. E. CHENEY.

l SHUTTLE. No. 330,362. Patented Nov. 10, 1885..

UNITED STATES PATENT EETcE.

FREDERICK P. CHENEY, OF GLOVER, VERMONT.

SHUTTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,362, dated November10, 1885.

Application led July 9, 1885. Serial No. 171,077. (No. model.)

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, FREDERICK?. CHENEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Glover, in the county ofOrleans and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements `in Shuttles, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. My inventionrelates to a shuttle to be used in sewing-machines; and it consists of acylindrical shuttle with an ellipticai opening in its top, through whichthe bobbin is introduced, and a two -leaved spring, in general formsimilar to the said opening, which it covers, compression between thetwo leaves of the spring causing the tension of the thread.

The object of my invention is to provide a shuttle of cylindrical formwithout projecting parts, one in which the tension is regulated in aprecise and definite manner, as hereinafter more fully set forth, andone which occupies small space` and is easily threaded, and in whichabrasion ofthe thread is avoided. I accomplish these objects in themanner following.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of my shuttle-case with bobbinin position, but with the covering-spring removed. Fig. 2 is a view ofthe spring as struck from vthe sheet metal in process of manufacture.Fig. 3 is a top view of the shuttle, and shows the spring folded intoshape and in position. Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the line x a:of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the shuttle.

The same letters of reference refer to like parts in the severalfigures.

In using the shuttle the bobbin is introduced from the top through theelliptical opening by first introducing its rear end through the widestpart of the ellipse, then pushing it backward until the other end willdrop down,

and then pushing it forward to position.

This manner of introducing the bobbin leaves the end of the threadoutside the elliptical opening, doing away with the necessity forthreading it through from the open rear end.

The thread now comes out in the curved slot or opening between thecurved edge a of the 5o leaf b and the edge of the elliptical opening inthe shell. It is now carried along the curved edge n until it engageswith the projection d,

when it is swung under the leaf a and along the upper surface of leaf bto the slit which leads to the central opening, f, of the leaf b, intowhich it is drawn, the end now being back again inside the shuttle. Itis then carried to one of the slitsleading to the circular openings s ss in theleaf b, the one into which it is drawn determining the tension,as herelnafter more fully described. It is then drawn straight to andbeyond the rear of the shuttle, passing between the leaves from thepoint of last emergence-say, s-to the offset m. Thenee it runs along thetop of the leaf b, free from all pressure, as the leaves between thepoints d and e are clear of each other. At the end e of the leaf aadownward projection enters the shell through a suitable slot and holdsthe leaves down by lateral pressure. Along the flat side of this latchthe thread moves, and its final emergence from theshuttle is at thispoint. This catch is madelongitudinal to prevent the abrasion of thethread by the edge of a transverse catch.

The double spring B is, after being struck from the sheet metal, foldedupon itself, and an eye formed at the part g, as shown in section inFig. 5. The leaves may be made separately; but I have sh own them in asingle piece as preferable. The eye being all below the top surface ofthe spring, enters a chamber, h, in the top of the shell, where ahinge-joint is formed by insertion of the pin or rivet o. Immediately inthe rear of the chamber h the shell is depressed for a short distance toa depth equal to the thickness of both leaves a and b, and this ledgeformsafulmum, 7c, which gives a support and slight upward spring to bothleaves combined. Beyond this ledge, and toward the rear, the leaves aresprung slightly apart, which permits the easy passage of the threadbetween them in the action of threading; but when locked in position bythe catch e pressure between them results, which regularly diminishesfrom the fulcrnm to the offset m, where it ceases. The projecting lip dof (Clearly the leaf b rests in the depression. shown in the drawings.)

As the thread in its unwinding is drawn from the different parts of thebobbin, it always emerges at some point on the curved edge orthread-distributor of the leaf b, and entersthe central guide-opening,f. As shown ICO in Fig. 4, the leafb has about half of its widthdepressed, so as to allow of the free movement of the thread between theleaves a and b from the threaddistributer n to the center guide-`apening. f.

As the pressure between the leaves a and b is greatest at the fulcrunl7c, and least at the offset m, it is clear that the friction upon thethread will be increased and diminished accox-ding to the location ofthe opening s s or s through which it emerges the second time from theshell, and that different definite tensions may be had and relied uponwithout trial by stitching. A very important advantage gained by thismeans of regulating the tension is that all angles are passed before thetension is applied, and consequently the abrasion of the thread due topassing angles under tension is prevented, because all the strain on thethread when it passes these angles is that due solely to the friction ofthe bobbin in the shell.

By depressing the hinge-joint g to or a little below the surface of theshell I avoid all chance of catching the loop thereon as the shuttlepasses the needle, and I am enabled to use a shorter needle than ispossible with the ordinary shuttle.

It will be understood that neither end of the spring B projects above oroutside the cylindrical outline of the shuttle, and that therebycatching of the thread in the backward movement of the shuttle isobviated.

The number of tension-openings s s and s shown is three; but it isevident that any reasonable number can be used to regulate the tension.I have, however, found three to be sufficient. It will also be observedthat the slits leading thereto are so slanted as to prevent the escapeof the thread from them.

The elliptical opening in the shell admits the bobbin with the leastcutting away and weakening of the shell, and also more effectuallyprevents interference of the needle with the thread, and moreeffectually protects the thread from the oil of the shuttle-race.

To make sure that the catch e cannot catch the thread in the backwardmovement of the shuttle when the leaf a is lifted abovev the up` persurface of the case by the passage of very coarse or lumpy thread, thesaid catch e is obliqued toward the rear in such a manner as to receivethe thread upon this oblique edge and conduct it up to the top surfaceof the leaf a. In manufacture the curved edge of' the leaf a isprolonged and givesv to the catch c this Obliquity when bent at rightangles thereto.

Having thus fully described myinvention, l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

l. The combination, in acylindrical shuttle provided with the chamber h,of the double spring B, and the fulcrum k, substantially as described. v

2. The combination, with the shuttle-case, of the leaf b, provided withthe thread-distrib .uting curved edge a, projection d, centralguide-opening, f, and the tension-openings s s s, with the leaf a,whereby the tension-press` ure is applied after the angles are passed,substantially as described.

3. The covering-plate B, composed of the leaves a and b, the leaf bhaving a-portion longitudinally depressed or sunk-below the face of theshuttle-case, edge, n, l having an elliptical opening therein.

4. The open-ended cylindrical shuttle-case provided with an ellipticalopening inv its side adapted to admit of the removal and insertion ofthe bobbin therethrough, in combination with a double tension -springarranged to serve as a cover for the said opening, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK P. CHENEY.

and having a curved in combination with the shuttle-case leaf a to thecylindrical line of the inner sur-

